Rotary-rod weeder



June 1 ,1926. 1,586,925

. L. C. VAN PATTEN ROTARY ROD WEEDER Filed Sept. 30, 1925 E1 E Zouzl; 6. arzl aliem ATTORNEY H Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED stars issuers LOUIS G. VAN IPATT'EN, OF CHENEY, WASHINGTOLL ROTARY-ROD Wnnnnn.

Application filed September so, 1925. Serial No. 59,609.

The invention generally relates to rotary rod weeders of the type wherein a rod of polygonal cross section is moved forwardly and rotated beneath the surface of the soil to cut and macerate weeds. f

The said invention has for its object to provide a weeder of the type stated which is of particularly simple and compact structure having a single beam frame so positioned, relatively to the rotary rod and the power transmission" or driving head devices, as to provide" for increased leverage facilitating controlling of the function and depth of penetration of said rotary rod.

T he invention also comprehends features of construction and arrangement of the driving head devices contributing to the advantages above outlined and to the durability of the Weeder.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the invention further resides in the novel details ofconstruction; combination and arrangementcf parts, all of which will be first fully described, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan viewrof the driving head carrying end of the Weeder.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the driving head carrying end of-the Weeder.

liigure i is a plan View of a modification of the driving head carrying end of the weeder.

Figure modification of the driving fhead carrying end of the weeder.

Figure 6 is a detail cross section of a mod iiied form of goose-neck standard.

In my present invention I provide a single frame beam 1 to which is secured, to extend rcarwardly therefrom, the usual balancing board 2. To the bottom face at each end of the beam 1 is secured a pair of depending relatively longstemmedbrackets 3.

The brackets'S. at one end of the frame serve to provide bearing for the stub shaft 4 which carries the supporting Wheel 5, while those at the opposite end ofthe frame serve as a-supporting means for the driver shaft 6 upon which is secured the driverwheel 7 which is of the usual type of wheel cleared to provide traction serving to rotate the shaft upon which it is mounted.

5 is a front elevation of a further A plurality (four being shown) of angle irons 8 are secured to the bottom. face of the frame beam 1 and extend rearwardly therefrom to serve as means for mounting the goose-neck standards 9. The standards 9 maybeconstructed of substantially ovate form, as shownin Figure 6 of the drawings, if desired, to preventthe throwing up of furrows by the standards and thus preventing the formation of ditches in the v field. 1

Any of the common types of bearing shoes 10 maybe removably secured, as at 11, to the lower end of the standards 9. The usual rotatable rod bearing members carried by the bearings are indicated at 12 and themt-ary rod supported by the bearings is indicated at 13. a y i It will beobserved that the driver wheel 7 is, mounted at the end, just out-side of the frame beam 1. a

A bracket arm 1% has one end thereof secured as at 15 to the end of the frame beam 1 adjacentthe driver wheel 7 and upwardly extended and outwardly angled over, to extend beyond/the said driver Wheel. A pair of vertical supporting standards 16 are secured, as at17, to the outwardly extended end of the arm l-i and havethe lower ends thereof bent 'rearwardly at right angles to driver wheel 7 to the countershaft 21.

countershaft 21, a 9 g A pair of bearing members are pref- "erably secured upon the top surfaces an;

adjacent the rear ends of the feet 8 and serve as a bearing medlum for the driven shaft 26 to which rotary motion is adapted to be imparted from the countershaft 21 by reason of the sprocket 27 mounted on'tl. said shaft 26 and over which and the sprocket 2 on the shaft 21 takes the transmission chain 28. c p

A universal bearing. head 29 is secured A sprocket 24 is also secured upon the upon the inner end of the driven shaft 26 and is suitably connected to the universal bearing head secured upon the adjacent end of the rotary rod 13 through the medium of the tumbler rod 31.

Thus, as the weeder is drawn across the field, the wheel 7, rolling upon the ground, will cause the shaft 6 to rotate- The rotation of the shaft 6 will be imparted to the rotary rod 13 through the connections 29.- 23-24 26-27 2829-30 and 31 just above referred to.

Instead of carrying the bracket arm 14 up over the wheel 7 a pair of arms 32 may be secured to the sides of the end of the frame beam 1 and extended to surround the wheel 7 in yoke fashion, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the vertical standards 16 being secured to the said yoke frame, as indicated at 83.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, I have illus trated a further modification of the driving head in which the driver wheel 7 is provided with an extended hub or sleeve 3* freely rota-table upon the shaft 35 which, in this instance, is rigidly secured to the beam 1 by the brackets 36. In this form the bearings 37 are also rigidly secured to the end of the shaft 35.

Thus, in this form, the vertical bearing arms 38 may be secured to and carried by the bearing members 37 and the turned back horizontal feet 39 thereof corresponding to those 18 of the vertical standards 16, may have the rear ends thereof rigidly secured to a brace 40 having the inner end thereof extended over and secured to the adjacent rearwardly extended angle iron 8.

It will be observed by reference to the figures of the drawing that the brace 40 ust referred tomay also be utilized in the form of the invention first described.

By providing the relatively long-stemmed brackets for supporting the wheels 5 and 7 just outside of the ends of the frame beam 1 it is possible to make those wheels ofrelatively small diameter. This permits a shortening of the leverage provided by the relation of the axes of the rotary rod 13 and the driver shaft 6 as compared to that provided by the balancing board 2. Thus greater leverage and a more delicate cont-r01 of the penetration of the rotary rod by change of position of the operator upon the balancing board is provided.

Also by constructing and arranging the driving head as stated,.a more compact and efliciently operating weeder structure is provided than has heretofore been devised. The particular driving head disclosed eliminates the necessity of complicated hinged parts andvother devices which might readily get out of order and the positioning thereof provides a device in which the rotary rod is substantially the whole width of the wecder,

it is thought the novel details of construction, manner of operation and the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates. I

While I have herein described and shown 1 in the drawing a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims:

What I claim is l. A device of the class described comprising a frame beam, means at one end for supporting the beam, a balancing board extending rearwardly from the beam, supporting bars extending rearwardly from the beam, standards depending from the supporting bars, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod carried in the bearings, a support rigidly secured to the other end of the beam, a driver wheel supported by the beam and said rigidly secured support and means carried by the rigidly secured support for transmitting rotary motion from the driver wheel to the rotary rod.

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame beam, means at one end for supporting the beam, a balancing board eX- tending rearwardly from the beam, supporting bars extending rearwardly from the beam, standards depending from the supporting bars, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod carried in the bearings, a support rigidly secured to the other end of the beam, a driver wheel supported by the beam and said rigidly secured support, means carried by the rigidly secured support for transmitting rotary motion from the driver wheel to the rotary rod, and a brace for the rigidly secured support connected to said support and to an adjacent rearwardly extending supporting bar.

3. A device of the class described comprising a frame beam, bearings depending from each beam end, a supporting wheel supported by the'bearings at one end of the beam, a balancing board extending rearwardly from the beam, supportingbars extending rearwardly from the beam, standards depending from the supporting bars, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod carried in the bearings behind and just beyond the peripheries of the wheels, a driving head secured to the other end of the frame beam including a driver wheel and power transmission devices associated with the rotary rod, and a brace secured to the driving head and one rearwardly extending supporting bar.

4. A device of the class described comprising a frame beam, bearings depending from each beam end, a supporting wheel supported by the bearings at one end of the beam, a balancing board extending rearwardly from the beam, supporting bars extending rearwardly from the beam, standards depending from the supporting bars, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod carried in the bearings behind and just beyond the peripheries of the wheels, a driving head secured to the other end of the frame to impart rotary motion to the rotary rod, said driving head including a driver sha t rotatable in the bearings at the other end of the beam, a driver wheel secured on the driver shaft, a bracket arm secured to the beam end and extending out over the driver wheel, vertical standards secured to depend from the arm and having horizontal feet, a bearing for the driver shaft end carried by one vertical standard, a driven shaft supported by the horizontal feet and connected by universal joints and tumbler ed with the rotary rod, and power trans: mission devices for imparting rotary motion from the driver shaft to the driven shaft.

A device of the class described comprising a frame beam, bearings depending from each beam end, a supporting wheel supported by the bearings at one end of the beam, a balancing board extending rearwardly from the beam, supporting bars ex tending rearwardly from the beam, standards depending from the supporting bars, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod carried in the bearings behind and just beyond the peripheries of the wheels, a driving head secured to the other end of the frame to impart rotary motion to the rotary rodfsaid driving head including a driver shaft rotatable in the bearings at the other end of the beam, a driver wheel secured on the driver shaft, a bracket arm secured to the beam end and extending out over the driver wheel, vertical standards secured to depend from the arm and having horizontal feet, a bearing for the driver shaft end carried by one vertical standard, a driven shaft supported by the horizontal feet and connected by universal joints and tumbler rod with the rotary rod, power transmission devices for imparting rotary motion from the driver shaft to the driven. shaft, and a brace s-cured to the horizontal feet and one rearwardly extending supporting bar.

6. A device of the class described, comprising a transverse beam, a balancing board extending rearwardly therefrom, members mounted on the beam and extending rearwardly therefrom and including standards, bearings carried by the standards, a rotary rod journalled in the bearings, means for supporting one end of the beam above the ground, a support rigidly secured to the other end of the beam, a driver wheel carried by the support, and means carried by the support and constituting a connection between said driver wheel and said rotary rod for transmitting the motion of the driver wheel to the rotary rod.

7. A device of the class described, comprising a transverse beam, gooseneck standards carried by the beam, bearings carried by. said gooseneck standards, means at one end for supporting the beam, a support secured to and projecting laterally from the other end of said beam, a shaft journalled in bearings to project beyond the end of said beam adjacent to said support, a driver $14 wheel mounted on said shaft, and power transmitting connections mounted on said support between said driver wheel and said rotary rod.

8. A device of the class described, comprising a transverse beam, gooseneck standards carried by the beam, bearings carried by said gooseneck standards, means at one end for supporting the beam, a support secured to and projecting laterally from the other end of said beam, a shaft journalled in suitable bearings to project beyond the end of said beam adjacent to said support, a driver wheel mounted on said shaft, and power transmitting connections between said driver wheel and said rotary rod, said connectionsincluding a shaft mounted in bearings on the support in a plane below that containing the shaft of the driver wheel, driving connections between the driver wheel and the lower shaft, and a driving connection between said lower shaft and the adjacent end of said rotary rod.

LOUIS 0. van PATTEN. 

